At long last, Commanders fans may be getting the stadium that they’ve all been waiting nearly 30 years for.
On Monday, the franchise announced plans to construct a new stadium on the site where historic RFK Stadium currently sits, a project estimated to cost $3.8 billion.
Washingtonians and Commanders fans alike know all too well the struggle to replace Northwest Stadium (previously FedEx Field), which is widely considered one of the worst in the league. RFK Stadium, their former home, hasn’t hosted an NFL game since 1996, and has been in a state of disrepair even before D.C. United abandoned it for Audi Field in 2018.
This new 65,000-seat venue, proposed to open in 2030, would provide a much-needed upgrade that is more centrally located than FedEx Field. The current stadium was inconvenient for many fans, but beyond the inconvenience was the fact that it had one of the worst egress systems in the entire league. Fans would consistently complain about being stuck in the parking lots for over an hour (and often more) trying to leave after games. Over the years, prime-time games became less popular at the stadium because of how late fans would arrive home after battling the stadium’s traffic.
In addition, although the Metro system technically has a stop at the stadium, the walk from the station takes about 30 minutes and is over a mile, which is prohibitive for many fans. That was on top of the fact that the ride itself from the District or points in Virginia or Maryland could easily take over an hour as well.
By contrast, Washington’s new stadium should be more easily accessible, as it will be located inside the District’s borders on its eastern shore overlooking the Anacostia River, allowing for a shorter transit to the stadium via Metro or ridesharing services.
In addition to the stadium itself, the plans include investments in larger development projects to build bars, restaurants, retail shopping centers, and park space, expanding the gameday experience for fans beyond what currently exists in Landover.
Having said all of this, the proposed stadium is just that: a proposal. It still needs to be passed by the District, and as we have recently seen in cities like Cleveland and Chicago, these deals aren’t always as easy as they sound when they are announced. We’ll see how it progresses and will keep you posted.
